[October 29, 1932 – Auckland Star] One advantage of staging school boxing contests in the afternoon is that a capacity house is assured as far as the boys themselves are concerned. For that reason the winners’ semi-finals and finals of the Mount Albert Grammar School’s first championship tournament were given ovations which many mightier athletes might have envied.
On the other hand, it would appear from some remarks made by the headmaster, Mr. F. W. Gamble, that the next tourney will take place in the evening in order to give parents a better opportunity to attend. No doubt contestants would prefer such a course, too, ensuring as it would a greater measure of moral support.
Be that as it may, there was no lack of courage shown in the many bouts crammed into the two and a half hours’ boxing on Thursday and Friday. When it is considered that many of the boys did not have gloves on until less than a month ago—and quite a number only this week—it is a remarkable tribute to the organiser, Mr. G. J. Sceats (New Zealand University’s only triple blue) that there were 150 entries for the championships and preliminary contests.
Mr. Gamble expressed the thanks of the school and the scholars for the assistance rendered by officials of the Northern Boxing Association in the conducting of the tournament, which had been a great success from every point of view. He congratulated the winners on being the first champions of the school and, in complimenting the losers also, the headmaster urged them to try again next year.
He also expressed the hope that those boys who had been looking on would take an active part in the sport in future. As an instance of what trying could do, Finlayson, the school champion, had not had on a pair of gloves until two days before the tournament.
Mr. Neil McLean, who acted as referee and judge yesterday, replied on behalf of the Northern Boxing Association, also congratulating both winners and losers upon their performances. Upon his award, Bethel gained the prize for the most scientific boxer at the tourney, and Overton the trophy for the best loser.
Mr. Geo. Bush, president of the Northern Boxing Association, who was judge in the preliminaries on Thursday, was a spectator at the finals.
Yesterday’s results:—
UNDER 5st 7lb. Semi-finals.—Naylor bent Topping, Hutchinson beat Wilson. Final.—Hutchinson (5st 7lb) beat Naylor (5st 1lb).
UNDER 6st. Second Round.— J. Shaw beat Watts. Semi-finals.—Fellowes beat Turley, Lempriere beat Shaw. Final. —Lempriere (5st 13lb) beat Fellowes (6st).
UNDER 6st 7lb. Semi-finals. —M. Robinson beat Wrightson. Pulham beat Woodroffe. Final.—Robinson (6st 5lb) beat Pulham (6st 7lb)).
7st AND UNDER. Semi-finals. —-Wood beat Andrewes, Cobcroft beat List. Final.—Cobcroft (7st) bent Wood (6st 12lb).
PAPER-WEIGHT, 7st 7lb AND UNDER. Semi-finals.—Byerley beat Baxter, R. Shaw beat Newton. Final.—Byerley (7st 7lb) beat Shaw (7st 71b).
FLYWEIGHT, 8st AND UNDER. Third Round. —Rea beat Mountfort. Semi-finals. —Shadbolt beat Harrison, Lydiard bent Rea. Final.—Lydiard (8st) beat Shadbolt (8st).
BANTAM-WEIGHT, 8st 7lb AND UNDER. Semi-finals. —Frerichs beat Needham, Heffernan beat Nelson. Final.—Frerichs (8st 7lb) beat Heffernan (8st 6lb).
FEATHER-WEIGHT, 9st 3lb) AND UNDER. Semi-finals. —Duncan beat MacFarlane, McRae beat T. Williams. Final. — Duncan (9st 2lb) beat McRae (9st 3lb).
LIGHTWEIGHT, 10st AND UNDER. Semi-finals. —C. Williams beat Mackle, E. Clarke beat Martinovich. Final. —Clarke (9st 10lb) beat Williams (10st).
WELTER-WEIGHT, 10st 9lb AND UNDER. Semi-finals. Bethel beat Booklass, Stevens bent Millener. Final. —Bethel (10st 7lb) beat Stevens (10st 9lb).
MIDDLE-WEIGHT, 11st 4lb AND UNDER. Semi-finals. —-Carruthers beat Burgess, Sutton beat Kerr-Taylor. Final. —Sutton (11st 4lb) beat Carruthers (11st 3lb).
HEAVY-WEIGHT, OVER 11st 4lb. Semi-finals.—Robinson beat Ingram, Finlayson beat Overton. Final,—Flnlayson (12st 3lb) beat Robinson (12st 7lb).